Housing unit for railway workers



Nw. l0, 1925 w. B. suBBs HOUSINGUNIT FOR RAILWAY WORKERS Filed Jan. 29, '1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 www@ m 55% Nw. 1o, 192s.

1,560,917 W. B. ".:`-TUBBS` HOUSING UNIT FOR RAILWAY WORKERS Filed Jan. 29;. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w W. """5 K Q4 3 n N Q l r CTI Fatented Nov. 10, 1925.

WARREN B. STUBBS, 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI;

HOUSING UN FOR RALWAY WORKERS.

Application filed January 29, 192).

To all whom Muay concern.'

Be it known that I, VARREN B. STUBBs, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful improvements in a Housing Unit for Railway Workers, of which the following is a specification.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved housing system for railway workers which is comprised of a series of coupled together vehicles forming a unit, in which is contained the essential elements necessary for the boarding and care taking of a work crew, provision being also made whereby the series of vehicles comprising the system can be moved intact from place to place.

Another object of the invention is to have the system or equipment comprised of a series of cars arranged in order as follows: a detachable tank car for containing a water supply, a boiler and hath house car in which may also be contained the kitchen and dining compartment, and one or more bunk or sleeping carsa all of which may be steam 'heated from al heating system cooperative with the boiler of the second car above mentioned.

A further object is in providing an improved form of hose connection between the cars so that freezing of the supply pipes will be prevented, in which the system will not be impaired 'during the cold months of the year.

Other and further objects will appear in the specification and be specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings exemplifying the invention, and in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevatio-n showing a series of coupled together cars, each car containing elements that are essential to this improved housing unit and showing the improved supply pipe connection mounted between the adjacent pairs of cars.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the series of cars shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section of portions of a pair of adjacently located cars showing the supply connecting element, said figure being taken approximately on the line III-IH of Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on the line Fin-11V of Fig. 3.

Serial No. 3551308.

Figure 5 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line V-V of Fig. 4.

Referring to the objects of this invention and to the showingcontained in the drawings, the main intent of the invention is to provide an improved housing system or unit for track hands generally working in outlying districts, the manner of housing labor heretofore being done in a make shift way such as furnishing a. side tracked boX car, serving as a bunk car, and the cooking for the crew generally being done outdoors.

ln this connection the invention is comprised of the coupling together of a series of cars forming a housing unit, in which a tank car A containing a water supply is arranged at one end of the series of cars, and the next in order to the tank car is a boiler car B, and coupled with the boiler car is a bunk or sleeping car C, and if desired, any number of other bunk cars D can be provided.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the tank car A comprises a platform 1 which has compartments 2 and 3 located at each end beneath the platform, said tank car having the usual train couplings 4, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, one of the couplings 4 is in coupling relation with the coupling 5 of the car B.

Arranged beneath one end of the platform 6 of the car B is a compartment 7 and at the opposite en'd beneath said platform is a compartment 8, the compartment 7 as shoivnbeing adjacent the compartment 3 of the tank car A.

Secured to the under side of the transverse bolster 9 of the car B is a depending carrier 10, and arranged beneath the bolster 11 of the tank car A is a depending carrier 12, each of the carriers 10 and 12 lhaving a pair of opposing vertically arranged guide ways 13 formed therein, and resting on the bottom 14 of each carrier is a bushing 15, each of said bushings having a pair of opposing curved walls 16 and a recess 17 adjoining each pair of walls.

Mountedabove each of the bushings 15 and adapted to vertical movement in the pairs of opposing guideways 13 of the repective carriers 10 and 12 is a retaining bushing 18, and horizontally arranged above each bushing is a bolt 19. These carriers 1() and 12 of the respective cars B and A are adapted to retain the ends 2O of a tubular connecting member 21, said ends 20 et said member being seated between respective pairs of carriers 10 and 12, and in which one end 2() oi the member 21 will extend into the compartment 3 ot the tank car A, whereas the opposite end 2O osaid member 21 will entend into the compartment 7 of the car B.

Formed on the underside of the tubular member 21 adjacent each end 20 thereof is a stop lug 22, and extending the length of said tubular member between said lugs is a guiding rib 23, said rib being engaged in the recesses 1'1" of the bushings 15 of each of the carriers 10 and 12.

Adjustably mounted on thetubular member 21 adjacent the longitudinal center thereof is a pair of collars 21, and mounted over said member 21 adjacent each of the carriers 10 and 12 is a seating plate 25, and mounted on said member 21 between each collar 24 and plate 25 thereof is a coil spring 2G.

Secured inside of said tubular member adjacent each end 2O is a pipe Supporting plate 2'?, and passing longitudinally through said member are a series orp supply pipes 28, and mounted on the'ends of each of said pipes is a coupling 29, sa'd couplings at one end orp said pipes being for connecting said pipes with a series of flexible hose connections 30, one 0i' said flexible hose connections leading to a water intake pipe 31 which is under the control of a valvel 32, said valve being in communication with the water supply of thetank 3201C the tank car A, whereas the remaining hose connection 30 communicates with the return steam pipes 33 which pass inside ofthe tank 32 adjacent the bottom thereof.

The pipecouplings 29 located at the opposite ends of the supply pipes 28V communicate with a series of flexible hosefconnections 311, said connections 34 leading to a like number ot' supply pipes 35, which are located in the boiler car B, said pipes 35 beingin communication with the boiler 36 located in said car B. From the aforesaid detailed description, it is to be noted that supply connection is made between the tank car A and boiler car B, in whichwater can be drawn tromthetank car through the intakepipe 31 to thevboiler Sli-ofthe boiler car B, and after the water'has been acted on by the boiler 3G,ahot water supply is thenv entrained to the succeeding cars C and D through the agency of the pump 37 located in the boiler car B, as the supply connecting vlement containing the supply pipes such as 'illustrated relative to the tubular member 21 is located between each pair of cars so that steam as well as hot water can be furnished to the cars C and D. ln this connection relative to supplying the ca 1s B, C and D with hot water and steam, aswell as cold water if desired, and relative to the sanitary taking care ot the housing of a work crew, a shower bath 38 can be furnished in the boiler car as Well as a series of bath tubs 89, anda sterilizing vessel such as 40,'whereas in the cars C and D which are steam heated through the agency of the piping system leading Jfrom the boiler car and the radiators'ill, bunks such as 42 are provided as well as a number of wash basins 43, and it desired, an eXtra car or part ot one or the cars such as C and D can be equipped as a dining room.

Referring again to the'showing in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the steam supply to the tank 32 of the tank'car A and return steam pipes 33 are rer the purpose ot' maintaining heat in the tank so-that thefwatcr contained therein will be kept at a temperature above 'freezing point during the winter months, and since a connecting element such as the tubular member 21 is provided between each pair of cars, each connecting element being in comn'iunication with a pair of compartments such as C3 and 7, provision is thereby provided whereby the supply pipes and hose connection contained in and leading 'from the respective tubular members 21 will be prevented i'rom "freezing, as anV improved housing unit or syst-em of this character very likely to stay tor months in one locality, and even while the system or unit is being transported from place to place, the series ot cars consisting ofthe-coupled together arrangement as described, would vbe moved intact so that proper housing will be given to the workmen during transportation.

ln carrying outthe operation of Vthis improved housing system in which the water supply is one of'the main essentiarlsto be considered, assuming that the-system or unit is side tracked during operations of the workmenr in the vicinity, and it is found that thewater supply of the tank car A is getting low, a call is then put in for a. water supply, and in answer thereto another tank car containing a water supply will. be brought up to the system andthe emptied tank car will be disconnected and the lilled tank car willv be coupled in connection with the boiler car B. In disconnecting the tubular member21 containing the supply pipes from the tank car or-any other car, the bolt 19 of the carrier of the carv being disconnected is removedl so that the bushing 18 can be elevated abovethe member 21, thenthe adjacent end 20-of`t'he member 21 is elevated so that the stop lug 22 ofV said end 2O can pass throughthe lower bushing 15 as the detaching oar is being withdrawn, the pipe couplings 29 however-being disconnected be fore ythe withdrawal of the car being detached has been made;

DuringI transportation vof this improved housing system, or unit from place to place,

llO

the coming together movement between a pair of adjacent cars will be taken care of on account of the tubular members 2l being slidably mounted in their respective carriers, and in which equalization oi' the longitudinal travel of the members 2l will be effected through the springs 26, and in which the lugs 22 carried by the underside of the member 21 will prevent the ends of said member from being withdrawn from their respective compartments.

In order to take care of the swinging thrust given to the members 2l relative to travelling' on curves on the traclrway, the angular faces 44 of the bushings 15 and 18 will provide for a swivel connection so that the ends of the member 21 will be allowed to swing therein, see Fig. 5.

When the tubular member 2l of the end cars are not in use relative to being coupled with an adjacent car, the tubular member can be moved rearwardly into the compartment of the end car, in which the end of the tubular member opposite to the end in the compartment will extend therefrom.

llhat I claim is:

l. A connecting element related to a pair of coupled together cars comprising a single tubular member having its ends slidably eX- tending into portions of each of the cars, said member containing a series of supply pipe connections.

2. A connecting element related to a pair ci? coupled together cars adapted to longitudinal and transverse movement, each car being provided with a closed compartment, said element at its ends extending into a respective one of said compartments, said element containing a series of supply pipe connections.

3. A connecting element for a pair of coupled together cars comprising a single slidably mounted longitudinally arranged tubular member having its ends extend into portions of said cars, equalizing means mounted on said member for tending to hold said member in neutral position relative to its longitudinal movement between the cars and supply pipe passageways located in said member.

l. The combination of a pair of cars each having a relatable coupling, a single longitudinally arranged tubular member located on a plane beneath said couplings, the ends of said member extending into portions of each of said cars, and a series of supply pipe connections located in said member.

5. The combination of a pair of cars each having a relatable coupling, a longitudinally arranged tubular member located on a plane beneath said couplings, a closed compartment located beneath the floor of each of said cars, each end of said member eXtending into respective compartments, and a series olf supply pipe connections located in said member.

WARREN B. STUBBS. 

